The 4 Best Budget Robot Vacuums

Thanks to innovative technology and design features, robot vacuums have come a long way since their inception and you can get much more for your money than was previously possible. The best budget robot vacuums easily adjust to different floor surfaces, collect pet hair, and come with as many or as few bells and whistles as you need for a convenient cleaning experience.

Typically priced between $200 to $400 and sometimes much more, a robot vacuum for $250 or less is an excellent affordable price. Models that cost less than $100 do exist, but they’re just not able to provide the same reliable results. While shopping, look for options with auto-adjusting heads and different size brushes to handle contrasting surfaces, corners, crevices, and carpet. Though keep in mind that most robot vacuums keep low and even medium-pile carpet clean, but are less effective than a standard vacuum at cleaning high-pile carpets.

Suction strength, measured in Pascal (Pa) is often a consideration when it comes to vacuuming different surfaces and pet hair, and an expensive robot vacuum can have a range anywhere between 1,000 and 2,000 Pa. But keep in mind there is more than one way to measure suction, with no set industry standard. Generally speaking, the higher the Pa, the better, but robot vacuums with less suction have been proven to work as effectively as those with higher’s Pa’s, with other features contributing to the model’s overall performance.

If you want added convenience, look for Wi-Fi-connected robot vacuums with apps so they can be controlled and monitored remotely or models that sync with Alexa and voice controls. Some even generate statistics and maps that ensure they don’t vacuum the same area constantly and waste battery life. Pay attention to how much battery life each vacuum provides before requiring a charge, and when it comes to the battery, some robot vacuums even self-charge once they’re running low.

Here are the four best affordable robot vacuums (including one that doubles as a mop) — and they all boast thousands of reviews on Amazon.

1. The Fan Favorite With More Than 40,000 Reviews

• Battery power: 90 minutes
• Pa: 600
• Dustbin capacity: 0.3 liters
• Floor Type: hard floors and low-pile carpet

With over 41,000 reviews and a 4.5-star rating on Amazon, iRobot’s Roomba 675 is a fan favorite. It features auto-adjusting dual multi-surface brushes that grab dirt from low-pile carpets and hard floors, and an edge-sweeping brush that addresses corners and edges that transition between floor types. Boasting a 90-minute battery life, this 600 Pa robot vacuum automatically recharges and has a dustbin that holds 0.3 liters that requires a manual cleaning. Measuring 9.4 centimeters in height, this one is taller than a few others on this list and may not be the best pick to clean beneath low-profile furniture. This pick comes with a charging station, line cord, extra filter, and flat cleaning tool, and it also pairs with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and with an iRobot app that allows you to create cleaning schedules.

If you are willing to cut out some bells and whistles like smart home connection, this iRobot Roomba 614 costs about $25 less and boasts many of the same features as the 675 model.

Helpful Review: “Love, Love, Love this Roomba! We have 3 cats and it picks up all the cat hair. We have all wood and tile floors with some scatter rugs. It does a great job cleaning on all surfaces...[...] Another plus is that it will connect to our echo dot and so all we have to do is say Alexa start the Roomba. Now if they make a model that can cook, we will be the first to buy it!”

2. A Robot Vacuum With A Big Dustbin So You Can Empty It Less Often

• Battery power: 120 minutes
• Pa: 1600
• Dustbin capacity: 0.6 liters
• Floor Types: medium-pile carpet, hard floors

Efficient for medium-pile carpet and different floor types, GOOVI’s high-suction(1600 Pa) robot vacuum boasts two large wheels that are designed to transition from floors to carpet. With a 0.6-inch climbing function, this option auto-adjusts to different surfaces and low or medium-pile carpets. It also runs for 120 minutes until it auto-recharges, features an Intelligent Setting mode for scheduled cleaning, and it has a 0.6-liter dust bin capacity, which is the largest bin on this list so you’ll have to empty it less often. It also comes with a charge base and remote, although it isn’t clear how many brushes this model features. This is also a slim option that measures just 7.2 centimeters and can easily slide beneath furniture.

Helpful Review: “I bought this to replace an iRobot Roomba 870 that is 4 years old (cost about $600) but is still working well. This Goovi vacuum cleaner is an improvement and almost a perfect replacement. Pro's: great price, much quieter, slightly shorter (doesn't get stuck anywhere, so far), remote control and has stronger suction. I have dogs and cats with long hair and it picks up the hair much better from carpet and floor than the iRobot. Similar features are a large collection bin, long battery life and navigates to all rooms well (I have a 1500 sq ft home).”

3. The Dual Robot Vacuum and Mop With An Ultra-Long Battery Life

• Battery power: 140 minutes
• Pa: 850
• Dustbin capacity: 0.5 liter water tank and 0.3 liter dust bin
• Floor Types: hard floors, low-pile carpet

With a two-in-one sweeping and mopping function, this robot vacuum and mop measures 850 Pa in suction power and runs for 140 minutes, which is the longest on this list, before automatically docking and charging afterward. With a 0.5-liter water tank and 0.3-liter dust bin, this model is designed with a cleaning brush and two side brushes. It measures 7.6 centimeter in height and conveniently connects to the ILife app. It comes with several accessories: a mop cloth, remote control, batteries, two filters, AC adapter, and a charging base.

Helpful Review: “We love this vacuum! We named him Vinny! I turn him on just about every day when I’m getting ready for the day or doing stuff around the house and it makes it so easy to keep up on pet hair around the house. He is great for hardwood, tile, or carpet. He has a pretty great battery life and will automatically re-dock to charge. The only downside is the dust compartment is pretty small so you have to empty it after every use. It’s super easy to empty and clean though.”

4. A Powerful Budget Robot Vacuum With The Most Cleaning Options

• Battery power: 120 minutes
• Pa: 2000
• Dustbin capacity: 0.5 liter
• Floor Types: medium-pile carpet, hard floors

Coredy’s robot vacuum cleaner measures 7.2 centimeters in profile to easily slip under furniture and it has two large wheels in the front for cleaning low and medium-pile carpet. But this one stands out for boasting 2000 Pa, the most suction power on this list. It has a main brush and four side brushes, runs for 120 minutes, auto-charges, and has a 0.5 liter dust bin that you’ll have to manually empty. Most notably, this product is a 3-in-1 multitasker that can vacuum, sweep, and mop; however to be able to use the mopping feature, you have to buy some add-on products, like this water tank and the cleaning mop cloths are also sold separately. It features five cleaning modes that allow you to personalize your cleaning and set it to spot cleaning, edge cleaning, single room cleaning, max vacuuming cleaning, and manual cleaning. It comes with an extra set of filters, a remote control with batteries, charging dock, and power adapter.

Helpful Review: “I have 2 dogs and I have long hair so there's lots of hair that gets dropped throughout the week....It's thin enough to go under my couches and clean those areas which normally only get cleaned every 6 months. My house is a single level with no ledges and is all hardwood or tile with a few low pile rugs, and it transitions perfectly between the different flooring. The suction seems to be great as every time it's finished running the bin is full of hair and dirt.”